It's not uncommon for your air conditioner to need repairs occasionally since there are many parts inside and they wear out at different times. Your air conditioning system has two main parts: the air handler that's indoors, and the condenser outside.
When something goes wrong with your AC, there are ways you can narrow down the cause. Here are ways to figure out what's wrong when your AC isn't keeping your home cool.
Noises Can Lead You to The Problem
Some parts make noises when they're going bad. For instance, a capacitor might make a humming sound. The air handler and condenser both have capacitors, so if you hear humming hear one of them, that could mean the capacitor is going bad and you'll need an air conditioning repair person to replace it.
A bad motor or worn belt might make a screeching noise. Clicking could be a sign of a malfunctioning thermostat, hissing could be from refrigerant leaking out, and banging or scraping could be from a loose fan or blower.
Lukewarm Air Could Be A Refrigerant Problem
If there's air coming out of the ducts, but the air is lukewarm, the problem could be in the refrigerant system. The refrigerant might be low or one of the refrigerant coils is coated or overheated.
An air conditioning repair technician can check the refrigerant level to see if it's low. If so, they can find the leaky area and repair it. If the level is fine, the problem may be with the condenser coil or the evaporator coil. If a coil is coated in dust or grime, it can't cool very well.
If a coil is overheating because the condenser fan isn't working or airflow through the air handler is restricted, the AC technician has to fix the problem that's affecting the refrigerant's ability to cool your house.
Airflow From The Ducts Is Low Due To Air Handler Problems
If the air coming out of the ducts is chilled, but the airflow isn't strong or is completely absent, your air conditioning system has restricted airflow, a leaky duct, or there's a problem with the blower in the air handler.
The air conditioning repair technician can replace the blower motor if needed so the blower functions properly again. However, if the problem is restricted airflow, they may need to change the filter, clean the blower, or move obstructions away from the AC equipment.
Of course, the best way to find out what's wrong with your air conditioning system is to hire an AC technician. They can use a multimeter to check parts and follow power through the system to find a malfunction quickly so it can be repaired.
Reach out to an air conditioning service to learn more.
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